Korea, Africa can be woven into 'rope of unity'
A high-ranking South Korean diplomat said Wednesday that South Korea and Africa can join hands to tackle global geopolitical rivalries and supply chain disruptions together, like strands woven into a rope.
Jung Kihong, ambassador and deputy minister for public diplomacy, said partnerships between the two "matter more than ever," describing each other as the partners that "have much to share and learn from each other."
"We share a belief in human dignity, in innovation, in the power of youth," Jung said during the Africa Day 2025 Korea-Africa Business Forum held at Grand Hyatt Seoul.
"We share a history of overcoming difficulty, of turning scarcity into opportunity and pain into progress," he said, adding that South Korea and Africa can work together to "build on that shared spirit."
Serving as chief coordinating officer for the preparation of the inaugural Korea-Africa Summit in 2024 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Jung said the historic summit would not be a one-off event and instead heralded the beginning of "something greater."
"Let us bind our hopes, our knowledge, our efforts into a rope of unity and purpose that no crisis can unravel," Jung said, alluding to an African proverb indicating a cord made of many strands is hard to break.
Jung has served as the ministry's public diplomacy ambassador since April.
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